This week’s fresh listings:

This page is to be updated every Tuesday and will contain all the latest Coin, Medal & Token listings for that particular week.

Most sold coins are now accessible via a new link on the front (index) page category grid.

Additions to www.HistoryInCoins.com for week commencing Tuesday 12th May 2026

WSC-9331: **CHOICE** 1547 Mary Queen of Scots Hammered Billon Silver PORTRAIT Penny. First period, 1542-58, Edinburgh mint, before the marriage although this coin represents the very first portrait issue of Mary - she was just 5 years old in 1547, so a long time before the first marriage. Facing infant head of the very young Mary with an arched crown. +MARIA D.G.R SCOTORVM (Mary, by the grace of God, Queen of Scots). The reverse is a cross fourchee with cinquefoils and crowns in alternate angles. OPIDVM EDNBVR (Town of Edinburgh). S.R. 5440. This was a silver alloy issue, and termed as such at the time although it is perhaps stretching it somewhat when you consider that there was less than 10% silver in the alloy - the coins themselves looked very much like copper coins. All Mary billon first period pennies were struck in extremely small quantities. Very few coins in the entire reign of this iconic monarch had a portrait of the queen - those that do will be £10,000+, assuming you can even find one for sale anywhere - so if you collect by portrait (or grade), this coin is for you. An exceedingly rare coin in any grade but in this extraordinarily high grade, much rarer still. The S.R. plate coin is a lovely coin, it being the best they could find in all the collections that they have photographic access to, but his coin is much superior to even that example. Find better! Choice. £2,995

Provenance:

ex Spink

WSC-9332: **CHOICE** 1556 Mary Queen of Scots Hammered Billon Silver Penny. First period, 1542-58, dated 1556, Edinburgh mint, before the marriage when Mary was just 14 years old. The obverse depicts a large cross potent with four much smaller cross potents in the angles. +MARIA D G SCOTOR REGINA (Mary, by the grace of God, Queen of Scots). The reverse has a crown over VICIT VERITAS 1556 (Truth prevails, 1556). S.R. 5444. This was a silver alloy issue, and termed as such at the time although it is perhaps stretching it somewhat when you consider that at 45/48 alloy, there was only six parts silver to ninety odd parts base metal in the alloy - the coins themselves looked very much like copper coins, which in this case they just about were! All Mary billon first period pennies were struck in extremely small quantities. Quite a rare coin in any grade but in this extraordinarily high grade, extremely rare. The S.R. plate coin is a lovely coin, it being the best they could find in all the collections they have photographic access to, and to be fair, this coin is on a par with that one, it being of an equally very high grade, but where this coin becomes elevated further still in its rarity and desirability is the large, full flan - see comparison here. The Coincraft plate coin is presentable but absolutely nowhere near this coin in terms of grade. That coin also has a smaller flan. Find better! Choice. £1,550

Provenance:

ex Spink